Prague: Charles Bridge and Powder Gate

Prague


Czechs are West Slavs, as are Poles and Slovaks. The capital Prague is often called The Heart of Europe. There are about 10 million people in the Czech Republic and about 1.3 million people in Prague. Western part of the Czech Republic is called Bohemia, eastern Moravia.

Charles Bridge

The most famous bridge in Prague was completed in about 1400. It is really nice walk across the bridge. You could admire Baroque statuary, grand views up and down the river. There is an army of tourists squeezing on the bridge in summer the whole day. To have the bridge to yourself you should get there by about 8 am. In summer you can climb up into the two towers at the ends of the bridge.

Powder Gate (Prašná brána),

This was constructed in 1475 on the place of a former early Gothic tower. In the 15th century, it had no more its defence function and became rather a representative tower of the most important town of the Czech Kingdom - the Old Town of Prague.

Most likely, it was the reason why a century older Charles Bridge tower was used as its model.

The tower was built in the neighbourhood of a Royal Court, which used to be situated on the place of today`s adjacent Municipal House. With some interruptions, the kings dwelled in that former palace from 1383 up 1783. at that time, King Vladislav of Jagiello moved back to the Prague Castle and the palace remained abandoned. It was a cause of the interruption of works on the Powder Tower and was only provisionally roofed.

In the 17th century, it served as a store for gunpowder and since then, it has a present name. The radical reconstruction of the tower was performed in the 80s of the 19th century.